Water level recorders have been provided in that past and have principally utilized chains which drive a series of gears which are utilized for driving one or more pens on a strip chart. In such water level recorders it has been found that there are many instances of lost motion which cause inaccuracy between the two pens. Another difficulty with such recorders has been that the positions recorded on the strip charts by the pens do not represent the same times and the same locations. In other words, one pen at a particular point in time would be recording at a different point in time than the other pen. Because of such time separations, it has been difficult to read the charts which have been produced by such water level recorders. In addition, there has been tendency for reading errors in reading the charts to occur. In addition, it has been difficult in certain situations where the water level is rising and falling to determine whether or not a pen reversal has taken place because the water level had changed or because the edge of the chart had been reached. There is, therefore, need for an improved water level recorder.